THE NORTH-EASTERN YORUBA DISTRICTS AND THE BENIN KINGDOM

by S. A. AKINTOYE

Department of History, University of Ife 

IN spite of recent studies in the history of south-western Nigeria, our knowledge of the history of the eastern parts of the Yoruba country remains very poor. Admittedly, this is due mostly to the fact that, unlike the western parts of the Yoruba country, documentary material for the history of this area before the twentieth century is very slim. For instance, there is nothing comparable here to the references by Europeans along the coast to Old Qyo in the eighteenth century. And even when we come to the nineteenth century, the two agencies of European penetration:-European trade and Christian missionary activity were denied to the eastern districts of the Yoruba country until as late as the 1870's. 

This, however, is no justification for a tacit assumption that the history of the Yoruba country is the history of its western parts only. At all times, the area which we tend to ignore appears to have constituted nearly half the land area and population of the Yoruba country. 

This article aims to direct attention to this gap in our studies by provoking discussion of one of the most important themes in the history of most of the area-its long close contacts with the kingdom of Benin. Specifically, it attempts to pinpoint and review the evidence of Benin connections in the history of the Ekiti, Akoko, and Qwo. 

Even a casual observation reveals strong Benin influence on these peoples. Their folk-lores and rituals relate closely to those of Benin. In Ikerę, Akurę, Idoani, and Qwo, the impact of Benin contacts is strongly evident in dialects, music, and dance. Traditional political practices also owe much to Benin. Benin's oval sword of state is found all over the area, as well as royal regalia approximating with varying degrees of closeness to the Benin royal regalia with its over-abundance of coral beads. A large number of chieftaincies have titles, which are found in Benin-Ologboşere, Ojomo, Saşere, etc. 

JOURNAL OF THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF NIGERIA

VOL. IV NO. 4

JUNE 1969

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